


Lemon Colored Lethargy

by starlightspeedway99



Category: Splatoon
Genre: Agent 4 is aro and proud, Angst, Awkward Conversations, Fluff and Angst, Innuendo, Mentions of Sex, friend drama, group chats, lots of swearing, past drama
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-10
Updated: 2019-10-09
Packaged: 2020-12-02 02:28:07
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,778
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20970527
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/starlightspeedway99/pseuds/starlightspeedway99
Summary: Kai invites Hiroko to hang out to talk about mess of thoughts that's been bothering her for a while. Dia encourages her to be more open and honest about the two agents' relationship, but knowing Kai, can she really?Strap in for some emotional catharsis and some insight on Kai and Hiroko's complex, yet beautiful friendship.





	1. An Invitation

“Of course, I’d be down. It’s a date!”  
The golden yellow Inkling gagged at the sound of the word. She shook her head vigorously, as if to shake the gross word out of her ears.  
“Hiroko, shut up! You know I-”  
“Okay, it’s a friend date then!” The green Inkling girl jeered. As Kai turned bright red with anger, Hiroko howled with laughter, probably the most she had in ages.  
“You’re such an asshole! The aro flag has the same shade of green as your tentacles, and somehow you still forget!” Kai fumed.  
Hiroko clapped her on the shoulder and looked her in the eyes. “I didn’t forget- I just remembered how much it bothers you when I say-”  
“Alright, I’ll take this as my cue to leave!” The lemon colored Inkling huffed and shoved her friend’s hand away. Just as she was about to take another step out of the Lobby, the sound of Hiroko’s voice stopped her in her tracks.  
“I’ll come pick you up, okay?”  
Kai grinned at the sound. If it was any other cephalopod, she would’ve still been angry. But if it was the one and only Agent 3, how could she still be upset?  
“Oh wow, what a chivalrous lady you are!” The yellow Inkling shouted back. With her witty response, Kai trotted outside with a wide smile on her face. She didn’t even have to glance back at Hiroko to know that she was grinning too. 

Back at her apartment, Kai took a deep breath to steady herself. It was a Friday night, and she had a feeling that she was about to be bombarded with invitations from her roommates to go out. Still not fully prepared, she unlocked the door quietly, only to have her theory confirmed.  
“Hey, you’re home early!”  
“Kayla and I are going clubbing tonight, you wanna come?”  
“Lana and I are gonna see a movie- you down?”  
“Or you could stay in and drink with me!”  
Kai sighed heavily. She ignored all of the five girls and collapsed onto the couch face first. She could hardly find the right words to react to all of this.  
“Not tonight, y’all. I’m tired as hell, and I gotta rest up for tomorrow.” She grumbled.  
The oldest of the six girls raised her eyebrows curiously. She twirled her wine glass and chuckled. “Well, well, well- look at you already planning out your weekend! Who’s the lucky guy or gal?”  
The other four girls squealed with excitement while Kai picked up her head from the couch.  
“Shut up, Diana. I’m just seeing a friend.” Kai sighed.  
“Damn, really? I was ready for some drama, though!” Lana squeaked.  
“I was too!” Bella chimed in.  
Kai groaned and made her way into the kitchen. She shoved some croquettes in her mouth lazily and quietly snuck into her room. Well, the room she shared with Diana. 

As always, it was easy to tell which side belonged to which Inkling. There was a sharp line dividing the two made of clutter. Diana’s side was beautifully organized, right down to her closet and wardrobe. Kai’s… was a disaster zone. Between the various lemon decor pieces, spare parts for her Dualies, and paper scraps from the girl’s scrapbooking ventures, there was really only just enough space for Kai to sit down on her bed.  
She laid back on the bed and sighed deeply. Her mind raced with the whirlwind of ideas and stress that had been on her mind for a while. But most importantly, she was excited for tomorrow. Kai fished her phone out of her pocket and started to text the one person who could help her sort out all of this… and quickly too!


	2. Kin to Kin

Lemon Blueberry Pie Chat~!  
LemonBae: hai hai, friendo~!  
Dia_is_unbreakable: !!!  
Dia_is_unbreakable: either you’re super excited or super stressed, cuz you never text me outside of the main gc  
LemonBae: um, both?  
Dia_is_unbreakable: lay it on me, girl  
LemonBae: well, let’s start off easy  
LemonBae: question- do you ever miss your parents?  
Dia_is_unbreakable: all the time!! I wish I could visit them…  
LemonBae: Same! So it’s not weird to be a grown ass adult and still miss your mum?  
Dia_is_unbreakable: OMG KAI  
Dia_is_unbreakable: everybody always needs their mum, no matter how old they get!  
LemonBae: omggggg thank youuuuu  
LemonBae: okay next topic!  
LemonBae: (this is the last one, I promise)  
Dia_is_unbreakable: omg, don’t worry! i’m all ears!  
LemonBae: ummmm  
LemonBae: sooooo  
LemonBae: this is gonna sound so weird, but I feel like Hiroko is my platonic soulmate???  
LemonBae: oh FUCK i actually said it  
Dia_is_unbreakable: hmmm  
LemonBae: FORGET I SAID ANYTHING  
Dia_is_unbreakable: first of all  
LemonBae: NOPE  
Dia_is_unbreakable: you’re aro right?  
LemonBae: ya  
Dia_is_unbreakable: I keep thinking that you’re ace, my mistake  
Dia_is_unbreakable: Also, cuz I’m demi, that makes us basically makes us kin  
LemonBae: oh yee that’s true!  
Dia_is_unbreakable: second of all, I’m a little jealous actually  
LemonBae: ????  
LemonBae: WAT  
Dia_is_unbreakable: I wish I had a soulmate like that!  
Dia_is_unbreakable: Maybe Frederick honestly, but he’s grumpy  
LemonBae: isn’t this the part where you’re supposed to say that I’m talking outta my ass or something  
Dia_is_unbreakable: nah  
Dia_is_unbreakable: this is the part where I ask you why, lolol  
Dia_is_unbreakable: do you and Hiroko really connect on a deep level like that?  
LemonBae: aw fuck, yeah we do  
LemonBae: you know how we used to work together, right?  
Dia_is_unbreakable: yup!  
LemonBae: well  
LemonBae: we went through some fucked up shit together, so I honestly feel like we’ve trauma bonded or something  
LemonBae: yeah we hate each other’s guts 90% of the time, but when it’s just me and her, I feel like….  
LemonBae: I feel like, she’s a part of me or something?  
LemonBae: she, she grounds me!  
LemonBae: she’s so strong and calming, which is what I need cuz I’m so high energy  
LemonBae: am I making sense?  
Dia_is_unbreakable: Perfect sense!  
Dia_is_unbreakable: You should be more honest with her and start telling her stuff like this  
LemonBae: im NERVOUS  
Dia_is_unbreakable: why?  
LemonBae: cuz it’s hard for me to be serious  
Dia_is_unbreakable: tsundere  
LemonBae: BITCH PLS  
LemonBae: you are literally the last girl I wanna hear that from!!!  
Dia_is_unbreakable: LOL TRUE  
Dia_is_unbreakable: but still!  
Dia_is_unbreakable: You’re a sweet girl, Kai! And an amazing friend! Be open and honest with her and she’ll love you even more than she already does!  
LemonBae: well fuck  
LemonBae: I really needed to hear that, omg  
LemonBae: thank youuuuuuuuuuuuu  
LemonBae: where do I apply to be your daughter???  
Dia_is_unbreakable: …  
Dia_is_unbreakable: You’re literally a year younger than me, it doesn’t work like that.  
LemonBae: I still wanna apply  
Dia_is_unbreakable: I’m not taking applications rn, lmaoo  
LemonBae: Damn  
LemonBae: also lemme practice being serious with you, is that cool?  
Dia_is_unbreakable: sure!  
LemonBae: I  
LemonBae: I um  
Dia_is_unbreakable: I’m listening!  
LemonBae: I’m so bad at this, lmaoooooooo  
Dia_is_unbreakable: Pro tip, this is a hell of a lot easier to do in person  
LemonBae: LOL OMFG  
Dia_is_unbreakable: Anyways, I’m exhausted, so I’ll text you tomorrow or something  
Dia_is_unbreakable: Good night Kai! I love you lots~!  
LemonBae: Gn!! I love you too!  
Dia_is_unbreakable: Good shit!!! That’s how you do it, lmaoooo  
LemonBae: LOL omfg stop


	3. Soulmates

Saturday morning rolled around gently, like a warm hug. As per usual, Kai woke up right at eight in the morning, even without her alarm being on. This left her plenty of time to get ready and slip out of the apartment without much hassle!

The yellow Inkling quietly rolled out of bed and began to get herself ready for the day. Of course, she still had more than enough time before Hiroko had promised to pick her up. With a tiny smile, she began to check up on her other roommates. 

Kayla and Hana were sprawled out on the living room’s carpet, probably too hung over to move anywhere else. Kai grabbed a light blanket from the bathroom closet and lovingly draped it over the two girls. She then peeked into Lana and Bella’s room to find them curled up in Lana’s bed together, dozing peacefully. Kai smirked before walking back into her own room. Diana was stretched out in her own bed, her thumb slightly stuck in her mouth like she always did. 

“Gotta be more honest…” Kai sighed to herself. She looked nervously at her roommate and at the door. Eventually, she made up her mind and knelt down by Diana’s bedside.

She placed a gentle kiss on the older girl’s cheek, and immediately backed away. With her heart racing, Kai nearly bolted out of the room, only to be stopped by her roommate’s groggy voice.

“Kai?” Diana yawned. “I know you’re prolly in a rush, but can you come back here for a second?” 

Kai wordlessly did as she was told and sat at the foot of Diana’s bed. She looked away nervously as the covers fell away and revealed the older girl’s nearly naked body. 

“You’re acting different today.” Diana mumbled. 

“Am I? H-how so?” The yellow Inkling stuttered. 

“We’ve been fucking for months now, and yet this is the first time you’ve ever kissed me!” 

“Um, well…” Kai murmured. “I um… I’m sorry. I’m not into you romantically, and I’m sorry about that. But that doesn’t mean that I don’t love you!” 

Diana blinked a few times in confusion before breaking out into soft giggles. “You know I understand and I’m okay with that! But, “ Diana gently reached over and took Kai’s hand. “It’s really nice to hear that from you! And I love you too, Kai-chan~!” 

Just as Kai was going to respond, Diana pulled her into a tight embrace and brought her down into the bed with her. 

“Diana, let me go!” Kai mumbled as she tried to wiggle away.

“You brought this on yourself, gorgeous! Now you’re stuck with me!” She cooed seductively as she traced her hands along Kai’s waist. 

“I’m not in the mood, okay?”

“Aw, maybe later?” Diana pouted.

“Tonight, after I get home!” Kai snickered. “You drive me crazy, you know that?”

“Good~!” The older Inkling beamed, looking a little satisfied with herself. “I’ll be waiting for you, Kai-chan!” 

The lemon colored Inkling finally escaped her roommate’s grasp before finally heading out the door. Breathing a sigh of relief, she headed down to the first floor of her apartment complex to find Hiroko, patiently waiting for her a good ten minutes before they had agreed to meet up. 

Kai smirked and tried to sneak up on the green Inkling while she looked away from her direction. Just as she was about to jump on her shoulders, Hiroko quietly snickered to herself. 

“I could tell it was you as soon as you got off the elevator!” She bragged, flipping her tentacles with a little flair. 

“You didn’t even look, though!” The yellow Inkling protested. 

“You walk weird, like on the balls of your feet. It makes a different sound than most other cephalopods.” 

“Creep.”

“Yeah, but I’m right! Now come on,” Hiroko grabbed her friend by the arm and wrestled her along with her. “I’m so ready to down a mountain of pancakes right now!” She said with a grin. 

“Aw, hell yeah!”

Walking shoulder-to-shoulder, the two Inklings navigated their way through the crowds of Inkopolis Square. Weaving in and out of the various alleyways, the friends eventually arrived at their new favorite spot, the Anglerfish Diner- a small place no bigger than three ramen stands put together. 

Without wasting any time, the two girls shouted a quick “good morning” to the waitstaff and sat themselves down at a booth by the windows. As always, the dinner smelled of grease, stale coffee, and the cheap air fresheners they used to mask all of it. Even after all these years, it felt as if the dinner was frozen in time- perfectly preserved.

Hiroko picked up a menu and began to lose herself in it. Her eyes lit up as her little hands brushed against the old thing.

“You’re gonna get the same thing like you always do, aren’t you?” Kai snickered as she crossed her legs lazily.

“Yeah.” Hiroko replied dryly. “I just like looking at it.”

“Sounds like you.” Kai grinned.  
As the two friends chatted on, one of the two waitresses strolled over with her notepad and a pen behind her ear. Just as she was about to introduce herself, she stopped herself as soon as she recognized the two Inklings.

“Why if it isn’t San and Shi!” She giggled. “It’s always good to see the two of you here, especially together again!”

“Cindy~~~!” Kai chirped. “Hell yeah we’re here together!” She folded her arms and smirked a little. “Don’t worry, Hiro’s not going anywhere as long as I’ve got my eyes on her!”

“Thank cod, you were such a mess when she left all of a sudden!” Cindy sighed with relief. She focused her gaze on Hiroko, who was still obsessing over the menu. “Promise us that you’ll stick around, Hiro-san?”

The green Inkling glanced up from her menu with an amused grin. “Kai was _what_ when I left?”

“A huge mess! She was here crying her eyes out everyday for weeks after-“ Cindy explained.

“Hey, hey, hey!” Kai stammered. “That’s not- ugh! Let’s not get into that! What are you having, Hiro?”

“Black coffee and the buckwheat pancakes with the matcha syrup on the side, as always.” Cindy giggled as she whipped out her pen. “And for Kai-chan, coffee milk with the citrus surprise pancakes- extra lemon curd.”

Hiroko and Kai merely looked at each other and shared a smile.

“And this is why you guys will never go out of business!” Hiroko laughed. “Nobody else can top you guys when it comes to customer service.”

Cindy grinned as she took up the menus and headed back to the kitchen with their orders.

Kai rested her chin in her hands and sighed a little. Now that she had the green Inkling to herself for a while, she had no idea where to start.

“Hey, um….” She stuttered. “Hiroko-“

“Sorry for teasing you earlier.” Hiroko said quickly. “That was honestly kinda mean of me…”

“That’s… don’t even worry about it!” Kai retorted. “I wasn’t even bothered honestly! She shrugged her shoulders. “That’s not even what I was gonna say!”

“Oh sorry, I cut you off!” Hiroko folded her hands neatly on the table and gave Kai her full attention. “What were you gonna say?”

“I….I uh, love your laugh.”

The green Inkling blinked a few times in confusion. She nodded her head a few times, urging her to continue.

“I love your laugh. I always…I can’t help but smile when you do.” Kai admitted, her heart beating out of her chest.

“Lean forward a little.”

“Huh? Um, okay.”

As Kai did as she was told, Hiroko instinctively felt Kai’s forehead and neck with the back of her hand.

“No fever…” She grumbled. “Are you feeling okay?”

The yellow Inkling pulled back suddenly, her face completely flushed red. “Y-y-yeah, I’m fine I just-“ She sighed heavily to gather her thoughts. “You know how we’re always fighting?”

“Yeah…?” Hiroko replied skeptically.

“Well, sometimes I wonder if I take it too far with you…so I’ve decided that I’m gonna start being more honest- a least a little bit. ‘Cuz I really don’t wanna lose you again, Hiro-kun!” Kai blurted out. “Ah, I’m rambling, aren’t I?”

“Yeah, but it’s fine.” Hiroko leaned back into her chair and folded her arms. A tinge of red spread over her nose and cheeks. “We haven’t spent time together like this in literally years, so I’m kind of glad that you’re being more…open!”

“Seriously?” Kai beamed. “In that case, I’m totally gonna talk your ears off today!”

“Only after breakfast.”

Almost as if on cue, Cindy came back with two massive plates of pancakes and daintily placed them in front of the girls.

“Anything else I can get you two?” She tried her best to stifle a giggle as she watched Hiroko start to wordlessly devour her breakfast.

“I think we’re good for now. “ Kai snickered as she began to follow suit.

Lazy from the immeasurable amount of calories they both took in, Kai footed the bill before the two girls strolled outside. Hiroko let out a quiet yawn as she stretched out her arms in front of her.

“Where do you wanna go?” She asked with an amused look in her eyes.

“Doesn’t matter, really. Anywhere’s fine as long as it’s kinda quiet.” Kai yawned back.

“How about my place, then?”

“Uh, sure?”

“What’s the matter- you scared?”

“N-no. It’s just that you never usually invite me over!”

“Well,” Hiroko began. “After that _one _time I did, I”ve been a little hesitant to.”

Kai clammed up immediately. Instead of trying to find some witty comeback, instead groaned like a toddler and started to walk away- heading in the direction of the train station.

Hiroko let a hearty laugh and sprinted a little to catch up to Kai’s long strides. She playfully shoved her shoulder to get a reaction, only to be met with silence. The green Inkling gave Kai a wild grin, and still didn’t get a rise out of her.

The silent treatment continued right up until the two girls took their seats on the train. As soon as Kai sat down next to her friend, she let out a frustrated sigh.

“You know… what kills me is that I can’t even stay mad at you!” She blurted out all in one breath. “Ugh, anyways! What made you change your mind if you’re usually so damn hesitant?”

“’Cuz I feel like you’ve got a lot to say.” Hiroko explained. “And I’m sorry for bringing that thing up.”

“You better be sorry- it started out as your idea!” Kai complained.

“Well, you agreed to it!”

“H-how could I say no?” Kai giggled. She looked away nervously as memories from a few years ago clouded up her mind. “Anyways… is there anything you wanna talk about, Hiro-kun? It wouldn’t be fair if I only talked about my shit today!”

“Hmm,” Hiroko folded her arms and gazed out the window, focusing on the scenery. “I guess I can say it now, if you want.”

“Sure, go ahead!”

“I’m sorry for being so…cold to you.” Hiroko looked away nervously.

Kai gasped a little and put a gentle hand on her friend’s shoulder. “You’re not being cold, not at all! Ever since you and I have been talking again, you’ve always been there for me like you used to be. What do you mean?”  
“No, it’s not that.” Hiroko folded her hands neatly on her lap. “I, um- I act pretty differently around Maya.”

“Uh-huh.” Kai nodded her head.

“It’s true! I’ve been noticing that I act more like an asshole to you whenever I’m around her, and it’s honestly not fair to you.”

“Um, okay?” Kai tilted her head with confusion. “But that’s just your way of trying to ‘look cool’ in front of your crush, and I get that! I know that you’re just-“

“But it’s still a really bad habit. I shouldn’t prioritize my romantic relationship over my favorite platonic one, because you both mean a lot to me.” Hiroko placed her hand on her shoulder and laid it on top of Kai’s. She looked her directly in the eyes as she spoke, her expression serious yet soft.

Kai froze up once again. “I um…is this one of those moments when two allos would kiss or something? Not that I would know!” Kai laughed awkwardly at her own joke, only to stop suddenly when she noticed Hiroko’s gaze become slightly more serious.

The green Inkling kissed her teeth with frustration. “Were you even listening?”

“O-of course I was! It’s just that-“ Kai cut herself off to take a huge breath. “Those are the words I’ve always dreamed of hearing from you! Why, what… what’s going on? Why are you suddenly being like, all different and stuff? Maybe _you’re _the one who’s sick!” She rambled on.

“Hmph,” Hiroko huffed. “I guess we both have a lot to talk about. But c’mon,” She grabbed Kai by the wrist and stood up suddenly. “Our stop is almost here.”

As the train pulled into the Shinkai District, the green Inkling tightened her grip on Kai’s arm and tensed up a little. Although it was still broad daylight, she couldn’t help but feel uneasy whenever she brought a friend over here.

“Hey, you okay over there?” Kai piped up, only to be shushed by her friend.

“Stay quiet. Don’t make eye contact with anybody.” Hiroko grumbled. “And for the love of cod, don’t get separated from me. We can relax when we get to my place.”

Kai merely nodded and did as she was told. The pair of girls walked swiftly in, out, and in between the various twist and turns of the slums. Drug deals and other shady interactions unfolded shamelessly in front of the yellow Inkling’s eyes, and it took every fiber of her being not to react. Hiroko, stone-cold and stoic as ever, merely kept walking and did so until she entered her studio and locked the door behind them.

“Good COD!” Kai whined as she sunk down into the living room couch. “I still can’t believe that you still live here.”

“Neither can I. “ Hiroko snickered back. She let out a sigh of relief practically jumped into her loveseat and stretched out on it like a starfish.

Kai looked around the tiny studio apartment. For the most part, it was just the same as she remembered from two years ago. The only notable change was the new addition of the little framed photos hanging adorning her nightstand. Even from a distance, the yellow Inkling could make out the effervescent expression of the one and only Agent 8. Maya. Just as she opened her mouth to comment on them, Hiroko thrust her back into the conversation from earlier.

“Like I was saying earlier,” The green Inkling began. “I’m gonna try and stop being such an asshole to you all the time.”

“O-oh, this again!” Kai laughed sheepishly. “Thanks, but honestly, it doesn’t bother me! I know you well enough to know when you’re just joking around.” The yellow Inkling swung her legs up onto the couch and crossed her arms behind her head, making herself comfortable. “Again, why are you so serious about this?”

Hiroko grumbled, her expression tinged with annoyance. “Because. Somebody told me something that helped me understand you a little better.”

“What? And who did?” Kai furrowed her eyebrows with suspicion.

“She told me that aros and aces take their friendships very seriously. Like, more so than most allos.”

Kai’s heart started beating out of her chest again. ”L-look at you, using all your new vocab words!” She jeered, doing her best to hide her nervousness. “Pride month is doing some mad work if it can teach you-“

“Do you think that’s true? At least for yourself?” Hiroko asked firmly, completely ignoring Kai’s futile attempt at deflecting the issue.

Kai sighed heavily. She turned on her side to face away from the green Inkling and buried pillow in her face.

“Yeah.” She replied dryly. “That’s so accurate, it’s not even funny.”

“I…I wish I knew that sooner.” Hiroko’s voice softened up. “Maybe I wouldn’t have been so horrible to you if I just took the time to understand you.”

“No, you’re not! Don’t beat up on yourself!” Kai sprung up and tossed her pillow aside. “I’m freakin’ ecstatic that you’re trying to understand me at all! Not a lot of people even try to do that.”

Hiroko flashed her a weak smile. “Is that why you always used to clean my armor before every patrol?”

“Well, it was gross and grimy!” Kai whined.

“Is that why you used to carry me home on your back when I used to have those panic attacks after Ranked matches?”

“I uh…it was the right thing to do!”

“It that why you broke down crying and begged me not leave to leave you that night I moved into this shithole?”

Kai looked down at her feet and clasped her hands together. “You and the twins are all I have, Senpai.”

Hiroko opened her mouth to protest the relapse of her old title, but quickly decided against it and kept quiet to let Kai speak.

“You were my mentor, my protector, my best friend! I’ve never had anybody in my life who was such a constant, comforting presence like you!” Kai blurted out. “You keep me calm just by being next to me, and all those nights when we were on patrol together- you protected me and taught me how to survive! I just- I just…”

Hiroko got up from her loveseat and sat down next to Kai on the sofa. She gently took her friend’s hand and squeezed it tightly.

“I’m not trying to say that I’m in love with you or anything, and I’m sorry if that’s the impression that I gave off! I just wanna say that I love you, Senpai!” Kai began to sob quietly. “I love you more than I even know sometimes! You’re my, you’re my-“

“-Best friend in the entire world.” Hiroko cut her off and pulled her into her tight embrace. “I swear, I’ll never take you for granted ever again.”

Kai finally burst out fully into tears, but regardless, had a huge smile on her face. “I don’t want you to leave me again! That’s why I kept trying to sleep with you after we did it the first time because I thought I could convince you not to leave!”

Hiroko snickered, causing Kai to sob a little louder. “It’s TRUE!” She retorted.

“Oh my cod, I can’t!” Hiroko laughed. “I used to think that you were into me, which is why I kept turning you down afterwards!

“Hell no, I wasn’t! You’re not my type at all! I just… ugh.” Kai giggled.

Hiroko grinned and pulled away. She wiped a tear out of her eye before continuing. “You’re not my type either. But, um… I wouldn’t mind fucking you again.”

Kai stared at her blankly for a few moments and crossed her arms. “Do you want Maya to kill me? And more importantly, the hell kinda confession is that?”

Hiroko burst out into a hearty round of laughter. “Yeah, you’re right!” She chuckled. Hiroko got up from the couch with a stretch and headed toward the kitchen.

“If I was smart, I would’ve stayed in my old apartment and asked either you or Cuttlefish for help with the rent or something. “ She lamented as she poured some water for herself and her guest. “I just… between the bills piling up and the anxiety I had over Ink Battling again, I didn’t know what to do. That’s why everything that happened so suddenly, you know?” She handed Kai her glass and sat back down on the couch.

“I get it.” Kai sighed. “But wow, we got off track!”

“I’m sorry.”

“I’m sorry too. And stop apologizing!”

“Fine.” Hiroko huffed. “You should talk now, if you want.”

“O-okay!” Kai mumbled. She looked around the room nervously to try and gather her thoughts. “Lemme switch topics for a bit. I really… I’ve really been missing my mum recently.”

“Recently?” Hiroko interjected.

“Well, not recently- I always miss her! It’s just been really bad recently.” Kai admitted.

“How old were you when she passed away?” Hiroko asked.

“Ten.” Kai groaned. “And then not even a year later, my dad married my step-mom, and she made the whole thing so complicated.” She glanced over at the green Inkling, who nodded silently to urge her continue. “She didn’t give me any space to grieve my mum, y’know? She was always trying to force herself into my life to make herself look like a better wife, if that makes any sense?”

“She was using you.”

“Exactly!” Kai exclaimed. “It’s not that she was even a bad person, it’s just that needed her to freakin’ leave me alone. She’s part of the reason why I bailed outta that place as soon as I could.”

“Good for you honestly. But now you have some serious mommy issues.” Hiroko sipped on her water casual.

“I don’t,” Kai protested. “I just feel really comfortable around-“

“-Older women.”

“Yeah, and? That doesn’t mean anything!”

“Sure. But Marie used to tell me how you would flirt with her and call her “Mom” in the same sentence.”

Kai nearly choked on her drink. “That’s not true!”

“Actually it is. Not only that, remember how you wanted to call Dia our ‘team mom’ back when we first met her?”

“Y-yeah…”

“And you even told me how you’ve been fucking your cougar roommate pretty much every night, so-“

“Diana’s not a cougar!” Kai whined.

“How old is she?” Hiroko scoffed.

“Twenty-seven!”

“And you’re still nineteen, right?”

“Yeah! What’s your-“

“When she was eighteen, you were nine. You see my point now?”

Kai shook her head “no” vigorously. “Okay, stop that! I get it, I get it! Maybe I do have mommy issues! But I’m still surivin’.”

“Hell yeah you are.”

Kai snickered. It made her heart skip a beat to hear her catchphrase coming out of her best friend’s mouth. “Speaking of, you didn’t get to know your mother that well either, right?”

“Not really.” Hiroko yawned. She leaned back into the sofa and rested her hands on her stomach. “My father passed away a little before I was born, and she couldn’t deal with the loss. She handed me off to my grandparents and moved somewhere far away.”

“Did she ever come visit?” Kai asked, her voice tinged with sorrow.

“Never. She didn’t even name me, Kai. My grandfather did.”

Kai gasped and covered her hands with her mouth. Hiroko, stoic as ever, simply continued on.

“Yeah, it sucks, but that’s the way it is. My grandfather named me after himself. His name is Hiroto, and he added on the ‘-ko’ suffix to make it a girl’s name.” A tiny grin spread across her face. “My grandparents always told me how much of a joy I was to raise because of similar I am to their son, my father. I apparently look exactly like him, and I’m just as stubborn and whatnot.” 

Kai smiled gently as she absorbed herself into Hiro’s nostalgia. “I’m glad for ya! It sounds like you’re super close with them, am I right?”

“Yeah.”

“Why did you leave, then?”

Hiroko paused for a moment before answering. “I was just tired of the countryside. And I just really wanted to be independent.”

The yellow Inkling snickered a little. “You sound just like Glaucon.”

“That’s why we get along so well!” The green Inkling grinned. “Oh, and Kai?”

“Yeah, Senpai?”

All of a sudden, Hiroko leaned in close and kissed Kai on the apple of her cheek, and stayed there for what seemed like an eternity. Flabbergasted, the yellow Inkling could hardly form a sentence after she pulled away.

“Huh? What was? Are you? I just, um-“ Kai rambled on.

“I forgot to mention this earlier, but I love you too. Platonically, of course.”

Kai squealed and stood up suddenly. She sprung up from the couch and began pacing frantically around the room-her face all red and her hands on her cheeks. Hiroko blinked a few times in confusion and watched her friend’s movements.

“Did I do something wrong?” Hiroko asked quietly, her eyes still following Kai’s feet.

“No, of course not!” Kai paused. “I’m just…I’m just overwhelmed. I can’t believe you actually just said that and meant every word!” She pinched her cheeks to check to see if she was dreaming.

“I’ll say it again. I love you, Kai.” The green Inkling declared, not even breaking eye contact with her friend for a second. “It’s my fault that you didn’t know that sooner.”

“And it’s my fault-“

“You’re not at fault for anything.” Hiroko stood up and placed her hands on Kai’s shoulders firmly. “You’ve done nothing but love and support me since we’ve met, and I’ve been taking all of that for granted. I should’ve kept in contact with you and the girls instead of disappearing for those two years. I should’ve tried to understand earlier on in our friendship instead of dodging you, and more importantly,” Hiroko sighed and took a deep breath. “I should’ve listened to you that night when we fucked. You told me that you loved me after… after…”

“After you scissored the fuck outa me?” Kai cut in with a sly smirk on her face.

“Y-yeah!” Hiroko blushed profusely.

“You literally didn’t hold back at all! I think I was sore for the next few days or so!” Kai giggled. “But it was totally worth it!”

“Anyways, “ Hiroko sighed with an amused smile. “After all that, you told me that you loved me. If I wasn’t such a damn fool back then- I would’ve said it back to you. Then maybe I would’ve learned to rely on you a little more, or something.”

“Oh Senpai,” The yellow Inkling cupped her friend’s cheeks in her hands and smiled lovingly at her. “Don’t worry about the past. Let’s just be happy that we’re all together again!”

The two girls shared a tight embrace and made themselves comfortable in Hiroko’s meager little place.

Eventually, the two friends left her apartment and instead opted to stroll around the nicer parts of Inkopolis instead. Hours and hours were spent blissfully recalling more old stories, teasing each other, and talking about the latest gossip.

As the sun just began to set, Hiroko and Kai ended off their day at one of Inkopolis Square’s most beloved restaurants, the Villa de Mer. Thankfully, they arrived just in time to secure a table outside on the patio. With a gorgeous view of Inkopolis Bay, the two girls took their seats and shared a look of mutual contentment.

“We’re doing this more often.” Hiroko declared as her hands caressed the pages of the menu.

“At least once a month?” Kai grinned.

“More than that if we’re not busy.”

“Good cod, I love you!”

“I love you too.”

After much indecisiveness, the pair both decided on ordering a pasta dish with a plate of garlic bread to share- much to their delight. Kai began shoveling down her meal as soon as it arrived, while Hiroko looked a little distant as she slowly began to pick at her plate.

“What’s wrong? Does your stomach hurt or something?” Kai mumbled with her mouth full of food.

“Close your mouth.” Hiroko snickered. “But no, I’m fine. Can I say one more thing?”

“You can say a million things- I’m listening.”

Hiroko quickly glanced around the patio and leaned in a little closer. “You helped me figure out that I was a lesbian.”

Kai eyes widened dramatically as she nearly choked on her food. She took a sip of water before loudly whispering, “You can’t just say something like that out of the blue!”

“You were the first girl I’ve ever slept with.” Hiroko blushed profusely as she continued explaining herself. “I had only been with boys before that, so you pretty much introduced me to…”

“Pussy?” Kai jeered.

“Yeah.” Hiroko replied quickly. “So thanks.”

“Well,” Kai sighed. “I’m glad I accomplished something that night.”

The two of them burst out into a fit of giggles and continued to enjoy the rest of their dinner together.

Once they had finished, the waiter brought out their bill. As soon as Kai glanced at it, she groaned.

“I should’ve asked them to separate it.” She complained. “I’ll pay-“

Before she could even finish her though, Hiroko was already placing her bank card on top of the slip of paper, much to Kai’s dismay.

“You paid for breakfast earlier, so it’s only fair.” Hiroko admitted, her expression one of satisfaction. “Don’t even try to complain about it either.”

“Senpai,” Kai grumbled. “You’re so… stubborn!”

Hiroko turned away for a second to hand the waiter her bank card, and replied back as soon as he left.

“I don’t want to hear that from you.”

“But you are.”

“Fuck you.”

“You already have.”

The pair of girls burst out laughing again, causing some of the other customers to shoot them looks of annoyance. Although Kai became visibly embarrassed, Hiroko grinned as she took her card back from the waiter.

“C’mon, let me walk you back home before it gets too dark.” She stood up gracefully from her chair and offered her hand to Kai.

Kai nodded gleefully, and hand-in-hand, the pair strolled back over to the yellow Inkling’s apartment.

After what seemed like the hardest goodbye of her life, Kai hugged Hiroko tightly in the lobby and took the elevator up to her floor. To no one’s surprise, she was bombarded once again by the sound of her bubby roommates.

“Kai-chan, Kai-chan!”

“You’re back super late!”

“I saw you walking with a girl earlier today!”

Kai groaned and flopped down on the couch. She took off her bomber jacket and sunk back into the couch as she tried to process everything that just happened.

“Yeah, she’s my best friend. We had a ton of fun today. “ Kai grinned. She glanced around the living room and kitchen from her seat and furrowed her eyebrows. “Who’s missing? Diana?”

Kayla, the youngest of the girls, piped up all of a sudden. “Yeah, remember how she broke up with her boyfriend a couple of months ago?”

“Yeah, and?”

“Well, ever since then, she’s been crying to him everyday and begging him to take her back-like, every night too.”

Kai and the other girls looked at each other with disbelief and focused their attention back to Kayla.

“Apparently, the guy listened to her, and he broke up with his new girlfriend to take Diana back. Which means we’re probably not gonna see her that often.”

Kai let out a nervous giggle, which was typical in situations like these. “Well, good for her! Now I can finally get some sleep!”

The whole room roared with a chorus of girlish laughter.

Hours of catching up and watching t.v. with the girls passed by, and as soon as midnight rolled around, Kai changed into her lemon print pajamas and crawled into her bed. She glanced at her roommate’s bed across the room and briefly considered climbing into it. Kai rolled over to face the wall instead. She didn’t need her anymore.

The yellow Inkling tossed and turned about in bed before eventually whipping out her phone. Her head was swirling with too many emotions for her to deal with alone.

******************************************************************************************************************************************************************

Lemon Blueberry Pie Chat~!

LemonBae: diaaaaaaa

Dia_is_unbreakable: hey-o~~

Dia_is_unbreakable: I heard things went well with you and Hiro today!

LemonBae: Today was PERFECT

LemonBae: Wait, how did you know???

Dia_is_unbreakable: I just had a feeling, haha

LemonBae: I call bs

Dia_is_unbreakable: Huh, why?

LemonBae: I finally figured it out

LemonBae: You’ve been pullin’ some strings haven’t you????

Dia_is_unbreakable: damn

Dia_is_unbreakable: You’re so observant, haha

LemonBae: I’m an ex-soldier, you can’t get anything past me

LemonBae: but fr!!!

LemonBae: were you the one who was telling hiro about ace/aro culture??

Dia_is_unbreakable: it’s possible

LemonBae: you slick bastard

Dia_is_unbreakable: lmaooooooooo

Dia_is_unbreakable: did it work though????

LemonBae: YES

LemonBae: I’ll give you all the details when I see you in person but

LemonBae: The short version is that she apologized for being a bit of a dick to me back in the day

LemonBae: We resolved some misunderstandings, and we forgave each other, and best of all, we both said that we love each other

LemonBae: platonically, of course

Dia_is_unbreakable: YAY

Dia_is_unbreakable: you’re grinning like crazy rn, aren’t you?

LemonBae: yuuup

Dia_is_unbreakable: I’m so happy for the both of you! I love helping people understand each other~~~~~~

LemonBae: No joke, you’re like some kinda queer cupid

Dia_is_unbreakable: QUEER CUPID

Dia_is_unbreakable: OH FUCK I LOVE THAT

Dia_is_unbreakable: That’s gonna be my next song, lmafoooooooo

LemonBae: Lol XD

Dia_is_unbreakable: Also! I just thought of this the other day, but I feel like you’ll appreciate this joke

LemonBae: ooh, tell me!

Dia_is_unbreakable: When you put agents 3 and 4 four together, what do you get?  
LemonBae: um

LemonBae: a scouting party?

Dia_is_unbreakable: nah

LemonBae: 7???

Dia_is_unbreakable: not quite

LemonBae: 12?

Dia_is_unbreakable: nope

Dia_is_unbreakable: Rule 34

LemonBae:….

LemonBae:…………………………

LemonBae: …………………………………………………………………………..

LemonBae: remind me to never speak to you again

Dia_is_unbreakable: LOL no!

Dia_is_unbreakable: I thought that was pretty good though!!!

Dia_is_unbreakable: Kai-channnnnnnnnnn

**********************************************************************************************************************************************************************

Kai rolled over onto her back and erupted into a fit of laughter.

“Oh, I get it now! It’s because I’m a lemon.”


End file.
